LOST: The Complete Fifth Season

As one Amazon.com reviewer puts it, this is the season that LOST finally “came out of the closet” as a Sci-Fi show. Well, perhaps not entirely; season four did a pretty good job of that already with its bewildering hybrid of relativistic and metaphysics. But all chronological quibbles aside (no pun intended), it’s a fairly accurate description of what’s going on here. From the start, it’s been pretty obvious to some that LOST was more than a simple drama about some people stranded on an island—and now that we’re in the thick of the technical revelations, those who missed the clues are beginning to take notice.

Whether or not that’s pleasing to you is of no consequence to the writers, who seem to take great pleasure in finally saying “I told you so!” when they begin to unravel a mystery that no one thought could have possibly been attached to a contiguous backbone. When all’s said and done, I don’t think many could argue that, given the self-imposed constraints (no purgatory, no “scientific experiment”) there’s really no other logical explanation that could be applied apart from time travel. And having said that, some of the justifications still don’t seem as satisfying as they could have been (smoke monster, anyone?).

Nevertheless, it’s hard to deny the creative appeal of LOST—especially considering its newfound unapologetic exploration of all things metaphysical. It’s uncommonly sophisticated, yet simultaneously pop-friendly. While this latest season (of just 16 episodes—one double-length) isn’t quite as spellbinding as the monumental season four, it’s certainly following along the same path. That is, it’s finally providing some long-awaited (though occasionally questionable) answers to the mysteries which the first couple of seasons so precipitously introduced.

Next, here’s a quick enumeration of my three favorite episodes from this season:

Because You Left

The season opener, as usual, seeks to confuse—and this year, it’s via means of a combination flash-forward and flash-backward (just in case you got tired of either variety, here’s both). Afterwards, while the explanations of the physics and time travel involved in the story become considerably more explicit, the jumps between time periods become even more ambiguous, and thus, the audience is left with the challenge of differentiating what is and is not a result of familiar cause-and-effect. It’s a startling change in style from the traditionally more limited focus of the character stories in each episode, and its inclusion of scenes unexplained until many episodes later makes it a great thematic pace-setter for the season.

The Variable

The writers shed light on the life of Daniel Faraday in this unique and jarring episode. While the conclusion is disturbing on a number of levels (if you appreciate the same aspects of the show as I happen to), the journey there becomes fascinating, as Faraday begins to finally realize the error of his ways and what implications these errors have on the island and the role that the Oceanic Six play in its future. While the name is similar, it’s still nothing on the level of last season’s The Constant, but nevertheless, it’s still a leap forward in the story.

Follow the Leader

Surprise, surprise—the double-length season finale also makes my list. It’s shocking, confusing, and unexpectedly revealing all at once, as the Oceanic Six finally enact their plan to disrupt the freakish flow of events that ultimately led to their being stranded on the island. We also are finally introduced to the elusive Jacob, and the circumstances surrounding his involvement in the story are stranger than anyone might have theorized. Bring on season six!

Special Features

Although it’s… er, spoiled to say so, roughly three hours of special features just doesn’t quite cut it for a release of this blockbuster series. Sure, it’s high-quality stuff—nearly all of it presented in pristine 1080p—but it simply isn’t quite up to snuff with recent releases. Granted, I was unable to review the LOST University feature, which seems interesting to say the least based on the descriptions and the trailer featured on the official website (it’s the most significant Blu-ray exclusive feature on the set), but unless it’s something positively stunning, I’ll have to write this one off as a minor disappointment in the extras department.

Of course, keep in mind that a disappointment within the LOST namespace is more like an accomplishment for practically anything else. As such, there are still plenty of interesting features here. By far the best inclusions are An Epic Day with Richard Alpert and Making up for LOST Time, offering fascinating peeks behind the curtain of production. Also on that front, the LOST On Location segments never disappoint, and these are no exception. Finally, the very first audio commentary (of just two total)—featuring Lindelof and Cuse yakking it up in their usual synergistic way—is highly entertaining stuff.

Here’s a full list of what you get, including every single Easter Egg I could find:

• LOST University – Unfortunately, this Blu-ray (BD Live) exclusive feature wasn’t yet prepared for use when I reviewed the set. The back of the box claims: “Enroll, take classes, and immerse yourself in this interactive collegiate experience exploring the themes, stories, and secrets of LOST.” You can check out this site for a short promo trailer and instructions on how to enroll.

• Mysteries of the Universe (26:15, 480i) – Reads the introduction: “The following is an episode of a short-lived television series from the 1980s. The topics explored may be of particular interest to fans of LOST.” It’s presented in the form of a messy VHS transfer of an old ABC television with the same title as the featurette. In reality, it’s a clever promo for the final season of LOST produced as though it was 30 years old. The show ostensibly investigates conspiracies, secret societies, and other such mysteries. In this particular faux-episode, the investigation centers on none other than—you guessed it—the Dharma Initiative.

• LOST 100 (19:00) – Witness the majestic Ace of Cakes LOST 100^th episode cake as the cast celebrate the show’s landmark achievement. This is a lengthy—and charming—stint with the cast where we get a great look at how well the regulars gel with one another. It’s obvious that the synergy on the set goes a long way toward making the show the triumphant success that it is. Oh, and your mother’s an Other.

• Making up for LOST Time (13:47) – A discussion of how LOST’s team of writers view the element of time, as well as how characters affect the flow of time as they make decisions. We also explore how they deal with the various challenges that are inherent to integrating time travel into a modern big-budget television show. The trials involved with keeping the characters and massive sets consistent with the setting are thoroughly investigated. Also, the cast answers “what was so great about the 70s?”

• An Epic Day with Richard Alpert (12:14) – On the last day of filming season 5, Nestor Carbonell (Richard Alpert) leads us through his (highly varied) activities. We discover his wardrobe, his (lack of) eyeliner, his seafood lunch, and his triumphant arrival at the beach, where the rest of the cast eagerly awaits his appearance. A truly excellent behind-the-scenes featurette that really makes you feel like a part of the action.

• Building 23 & Beyond (12:01) – A tour of “building 23”, the writers’ office in Burbank, CA, hosted by Michael Emerson. We get to meet nearly all of the core writing staff on LOST (most of whom seem to have a great sense of humor—not to mention meticulously-decorated offices), and we even witness Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse scrambling to erase the next item on their “to-do” list as Michael waltzes into their office: “Kill Ben!” it reads. Damon is quick to reassure, “we’re introducing another Ben on the show.” We also catch a rare fleeting glimpse of the DVD Team (“bonus feature geniuses”).

• LOST On Location (37:44) – As usual, this is a series of in-depth looks at the production behind some of the most challenging (and memorable) scenes of the season. It’s all great stuff, and at the end end of it, we’re treated to a brief conversation with Lindelof and Cuse about just who Jacob really is. Pretty intriguing stuff; they hint to us that he seems to touch many of the characters involved—but does he touch them all? On a lighter subject, who knew the canoe scene was actually filmed in a swimming pool? For sake of structural formality, here’s the usual list of what episodes are featured, along with the specific segments:

• • The Lie – The flaming arrows assault

  • The Little Prince – The stormy canoe scene

  • The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham – Locke’s car crash

  • Namaste – The 1970s Dharma Initiative orientation sequence

  • He’s Our You – The burning van scene

  • Whatever Happened, Happened – The scene we all recall where young Ben is shot

  • The Incident – The Jack/Sawyer brawl and the construction site accident

• Deleted Scenes (13:43, 480i) – Eight of these total. As usual, anything from LOST is generally quality stuff… even the deleted scenes. Here’s the full list of the titles:

• • No Police

  • Jill the Butcher

  • Where’s LaFleur

  • I Think He’s One of Ben’s People

  • Breakfast Time

  • Locke’s Promise

  • Phil’s Theory

  • Stones and Boulders

• LOST Bloopers (3:48) – Boy, they sure don’t make very many mistakes, do they? There’s under four minutes of bloopers here from the entire season. Nevertheless, some of them are pretty funny. Kate accidentally leaning on the car horn during her highly emotional sequence and the shirtless prop assistant hopping out repeatedly are among the highlights. I also particularly enjoyed the dancing sequences by Daniel and Charlotte when they’re supposed to be writhing in agony at the effects of their spontaneous time traveling.

• LOST Starter Kit (4:44) – “The ABCs” of LOST; a quick recap of all the major plot points to date, presumably less for new viewers and more to help reacquaint those who might have found their memories of the specifics spotty after the long hiatus in between seasons.

• Audio Commentaries

• • Because You Left – With Executive Producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse—who are, as usual, hilarious and informative all at once. These guys together make for great commentary all round. The level of insight that their banter provides—stuff like their conversation about Sawyer’s role as the “skeptical audience”—makes this track well worth a listen.

  • He’s Our You – With Executive Producers and Writers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz. Considerably less global in approach and much more focused on the events on-screen, this commentary is still entertaining, but it’s nothing as insightful or revealing than the Because You Left commentary.

• Easter Egg #1 (0:45) – Sean Whalen discusses whether or not Frogurt will be returning to the show in the next season.

• Easter Egg #2 (0:41) – Jorge Garcia (Hurley) briefly interacts with Michelle Rodriguez (Ana Lucia).

• Easter Egg #3 (0:50) – A short clip of Jorge Garcia (rather adeptly) painting a picture of the Sphinx.

• Easter Egg #4 (0:56) – Jorge Garcia explains the meaning of ass dirt.

• Easter Egg #5 (0:38) – Mark Pellegrino (Jacob) and Damon Lindelof discuss the depth of the characters of LOST.

• Easter Egg #6 (1:37) – Some B-roll (standard-def) footage of the LOST 100^th Episode party event, including a shot of the official party keg featuring “Dharma Initiative Beer”.

• Easter Egg #7 (2:09) – Damon Lindelof, Michael Emerson (Ben), and Carlton Cuse (accompanied by a subtle F-bomb on the dry erase board in the background) discuss the importance of keeping the actors in the dark during the production of the show.

• Easter Egg #8 (0:24) – A cryptic clip of Daniel Faraday at his graduation.

• Easter Egg #9 (0:52) – Stunt Coordinator Michael Trisler introduces some of his colleagues.

• Easter Egg #10 (2:51) – Rob Kyker (“Property Master”) is followed as he creates a ship in a bottle from scratch for Richard Alpert’s use in the show. The glass-blowing sequences are neat!